Who had the best and worst transfer window?

[Smiley Culture]

Best - Manchester United spring to mind straight away. While many were scrambling around at 11pm, Jose Mourinho was tucked up in bed. The Nemanja Matic signing is a master stroke and allows Paul Pogba more of a free rein. 

Worst - There's a few candidates. Some haven't replaced players who've departed (Leicester and Everton) while Chelsea got rejected by everyone but the worst has to be Arsenal, surely. 

[Dave]

Just woken up to the news that the Niasse deal has fallen through. Wtf?!? We've made four signings this month and three are center backs. So we have NINE players that can play center back meanwhile we have no adequate cover for either Benteke or Hennessey. The latter is absolutely criminal given how bad he is.

Great start by the rat Dougie Freedman. Managed to identify zero targets. He must be beating off at the thought of FDB resigning and joining a PL club with so many defenders to choose from to implement his boring footballing philosophy. Wanker.

[Harry]

23 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Best - Manchester United spring to mind straight away. While many were scrambling around at 11pm, Jose Mourinho was tucked up in bed. The Nemanja Matic signing is a master stroke and allows Paul Pogba more of a free rein. 

Worst - There's a few candidates. Some haven't replaced players who've departed (Leicester and Everton) while Chelsea got rejected by everyone but the worst has to be Arsenal, surely. 

Newcastle spring to mind for me as among the worst. 

Arsenals provably being the worst though more in terms of the bad press and the morale. 

 

Liverpool would be middle of the road to slightly above average with the biggest positive being that we kept Coutinho and locked Keita away for next year. 

Salah and Robertson have been promising and Ox will be solid too. Origi gone is no major loss and more than made up for with Solanke.

We've added depth in the attacking half but have broken even at best in the back half which is disappointing given we had a CB as our top target going in, and was our weak spot last session. 

Sakho leaving is a low point as he's a first 11 quality defender but on the otter hand is no major loss since we wouldn't have played him anyway. 

[Stan]

32 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Best - Manchester United spring to mind straight away. While many were scrambling around at 11pm, Jose Mourinho was tucked up in bed. The Nemanja Matic signing is a master stroke and allows Paul Pogba more of a free rein. 

Worst - There's a few candidates. Some haven't replaced players who've departed (Leicester and Everton) while Chelsea got rejected by everyone but the worst has to be Arsenal, surely. 

who have we not replaced, out of interest?

I think we've had a decent window. 

Maguire for £17m is a steal. Improves on our ageing centre-backs in Morgan and Huth. Dragovic in on loan as well so we've got good enough cover there as required (last season, 3 of our 4 centre-backs were over 30).

Iborra and possibly Adrien Silva have come in to our central midfield. Although not the strongest midfield still, it's a place that did need strengthening and that's happened. Mendy has gone on loan to Nice but he barely played for us so don't think we'll miss him. Drinkwater will be missed to an extent but we have replaced him there. 

We've added Iheanacho to our strikeforce so we're not just relying on Vardy as our quick striker. Would have preferred to get rid of Ulloa but we gave him a new contract instead  

And we also added Jakupovic who is a good back-up for Schmeichel. 

The fact we've kept Mahrez (so far if Barca don't come for him), Vardy and Schmeichel who are all very influential to the way we play means we've had a good window. A transfer window or deadline day isn't about who you bring in; it's just as much about who you can keep, too. 

For me, the best window has been by Utd. Lukaku and Matic are solid signings. I think if Liverpool had bought a centre-back to improve their vulnerable defence, I'd have chosen them as well as Utd for having the best summer. 

[SirBalon]

Arsenal's has been a shambles because it's obvious we needed to sort out various factors from Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil's contracts (final year) and we needed to boost our backline but ended up losing players.  Lost a player in midfield also Lucas Pérez on loan back to Deportivo La Coruña...  It's all flat!

The speculation as to why this has occurred acting like a club that's actually been relegated last season but instead missed out on Champions League participation will be an ongoing factor all season.

We ask ourselves why Wenger signed a two year extension with all of the flack he's been getting now heavily for two seasons...  How can he survive an onslaught from the fans?

Anyway...  Won't go into al that because that belongs on another thread.  What's for sure is that our transfer window activity was flat to say the least.

Chelsea are a curious detail in all of this...  English champions, going into an interesting Champions League campaign and in some ways their very public transfer window on calling names has been strange.  But they have signed important players and they have a very tactical coach.  So the frustrations will be calmed in my view...

[Honey Honey]

Some teams might have done worse overall than us but no one is worse than us in terms of actually operating in the transfer market.

Take yesterday for example. We wanted Matt Targett and he wanted to come. Southampton only wanted the loan to be 6 months in case he didn't play. We said no and our managing director just went home at 4pm, that's it, no left back fit til November.

 

[LFCMadLad]

Barkley rejecting Chelsea during a medical has to be the highlight of the transfer window 

 

[Toony]

We've had an absolute shocker. There was so much optimism around after promotion but really we should have known better. Rafa has let a few players go this week that would have done for back-up in the hope that we were actually going to sign someone decent before the deadline, which has left us extremely short in some areas.

In terms of the best, Man United have done well, Man City have strengthened their weaknesses. Brighton have done okay, as have Spurs I think.

[HK85]

Manchester clubs the best two I'd say. Maybe United pip it for keeping hold of DDG again. 

Wouldn't say Arsenal's has been the worst. They will be next summer unless something changes though. 

I'd go with Newcastle for the worst. They really needed quality. 

As for us, it's insanely stupid not to replace Lukaku adequately (there's no knowing how Sandro will adapt) but the rest has been as great. Improved in all areas but the tip. Very happy with it. 

[Dave]

28 minutes ago, HoneyNUFC said:

Some teams might have done worse overall than us but no one is worse than us in terms of actually operating in the transfer market.

Take yesterday for example. We wanted Matt Targett and he wanted to come. Southampton only wanted the loan to be 6 months in case he didn't play. We said no and our managing director just went home at 4pm, that's it, no left back fit til November.

 

It amazes me that when there's so much money involved so many teams still get it wrong. From last seasons Champions to last seasons Championship winners there's teams missing key players and settling for inbalanced squads. The transfer window is not a new phenomenon. It's been in play since 2002.

We're a prime example. In 2014 we didn't have any left backs after we didn't replace Parr or Moxey. Lesson learned? No. As in 2016 we had to spend 28 million on two left backs in January. Lesson learned? No. As now in 2017 our 'backups' for a useless Hennessey and lazy Benteke are Speroni and Wickham who will not feature at all. How can people who have been in this line of work for so long still get it wrong? 

If Frank The Bore resigned I wouldn't blame him. How can you decide to go from playing like Bolton to Barcelona and then not back the Manager heavily to reinvest in the squad?

If we go down - and our best hope of staying up is an injury free campaign - then we only have ourselves to blame.

[LFCMadLad]

2 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Manchester clubs the best two I'd say. Maybe United pip it for keeping hold of DDG again. 

Wouldn't say Arsenal's has been the worst. They will be next summer unless something changes though. 

I'd go with Newcastle for the worst. They really needed quality. 

As for us, it's insanely stupid not to replace Lukaku adequately (there's no knowing how Sandro will adapt) but the rest has been as great. Improved in all areas but the tip. Very happy with it. 

I disagree. I think you've bought 3 players that occupy the same area of the pitch along with failing to get rid of Barkley who also occupies that area of the pitch. I think you have very little pace in your team and you'll struggle (especially away from home) to pick up results, and as you say, you've failed miserably to replace Lukaku. 

I see a 7th place finish at the very best, despite the money you've spent. 

[SirBalon]

7 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Wouldn't say Arsenal's has been the worst. They will be next summer unless something changes though.

Have I missed a trick mate...  What did we do in the transfer window?

Please make me feel good... 

[HK85]

1 minute ago, LFCMadLad said:

I disagree. I think you've bought 3 players that occupy the same area of the pitch along with failing to get rid of Barkley who also occupies that area of the pitch. I think you have very little pace in your team and you'll struggle (especially away from home) to pick up results, and as you say, you've failed miserably to replace Lukaku. 

I see a 7th place finish at the very best, despite the money you've spent. 

You disagree with what, exactly? That we haven't improved in those areas? Or that I'm happy? 

[Dave]

6 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Have I missed a trick mate...  What did we do in the transfer window?

Please make me feel good... 

You've stagnated Lacazette's career.

[HK85]

5 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Have I missed a trick mate...  What did we do in the transfer window?

Please make me feel good... 

Mr Wenger got himself and his club a lot of money for someone who's not really part of the plans in AOC. He's been thrown everywhere in his team, doesn't really have a place. 

Signed Laca, a good goalscorer and that left back who's name I'm not gonna bother to try and spell who has got to be better than Gibbs and Monreal. 

Even kept hold of Alexis.

A lot of heat needs to come off him after this. These Wenger Out people need to really sit down and look at it objectively. 

[LFCMadLad]

That you've improved in all areas. 

You've well over-killed in AM/Number 10 positions and haven't improved anywhere else really, maybe slightly? Better GK and slight upgrade at CB but you are still weak there overall.  You are much weaker up front losing Lukaku. 

I don't really see what you are happy about because there isn't a chance in hell Everton are getting anywhere near top 6.  

Sig has been your best signing but even he has been proven to flop at a bigger club and may struggle to unlock defences with absolutely no pace in front of him (maybe he'll feed Rooney doughnuts 🍩) 

Nah not for me, I think you've become a slow, ponderous team that will really struggle away from home. 

 

[LFCMadLad]

8 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Mr Wenger got himself and his club a lot of money for someone who's not really part of the plans in AOC. 

 

Arsenal offered Ox a new contract worth £180k a week that he rejected! 

Chelsea agreed to pay £40m and £160k a week wages which he rejected.

Hes just signed for us for £35m on £120k a week wages. 

What are you talking about?  

[Stan]

1 hour ago, LFCMadLad said:

Barkley rejecting Chelsea during a medical has to be the highlight of the transfer window 

 

100% this. Fucking hilarious trolling Chelsea to actually do a medical then think, 'nah fuck this, take me back to Everton'. 

[HK85]

5 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

That you've improved in all areas. 

You've well over-killed in AM/Number 10 positions and haven't improved anywhere else really, maybe slightly? Better GK and slight upgrade at CB but you are still weak there overall.  You are much weaker up front losing Lukaku. 

I don't really see what you are happy about because there isn't a chance in hell Everton are getting anywhere near top 6.  

Sig has been your best signing but even he has been proven to flop at a bigger club and may struggle to unlock defences with absolutely no pace in front of him (maybe he'll feed Rooney doughnuts 🍩) 

Nah not for me, I think you've become a slow, ponderous team that will really struggle away from home. 

 

Looks to me you've been overrating what we had last season,  my mate. 

Pickford is so much better in everything he does to those two idiots we had last season.

Keane has improved the centre of defence. We're no longer left with two over the hill CBs there. 

You're very caught up on this 'overkill' in attacking positions without any basic knowledge of how we're going to set up or play. Rooney, Gylfi and Klaassen can play in the same team. And will. The mention of Barkley is irrelevant. He will never play for us again. 

I finally agree with you on the pace aspect. Although Sandro can shift, Lookman, Mirallas, Vlasnic, Gana, Coleman also can. Although pace for the sake of it is useless. Like Mirallas, fast but stupid. 

Ponderous didn't need to be mentioned after slow, either. Sort of the same thing isn't it? Unless you think we're clumsy which if you did you are wrong.  

 

[LFCMadLad]

3 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Looks to me you've been overrating what we had last season,  my mate. 

Pickford is so much better in everything he does to those two idiots we had last season.

Keane has improved the centre of defence. We're no longer left with two over the hill CBs there. 

You're very caught up on this 'overkill' in attacking positions without any basic knowledge of how we're going to set up or play. Rooney, Gylfi and Klaassen can play in the same team. And will. The mention of Barkley is irrelevant. He will never play for us again. 

I finally agree with you on the pace aspect. Although Sandro can shift, Lookman, Mirallas, Vlasnic, Gana, Coleman also can. Although pace for the sake of it is useless. Like Mirallas, fast but stupid. 

Ponderous didn't need to be mentioned after slow, either. Sort of the same thing isn't it? Unless you think we're clumsy which if you did you are wrong.  

 

Ok we'll see. I'll have you a £100 bet though that Everton clamber into 7th place, if that? 

You are miles, and I mean miles behind the top 6, even after your spending spree. 

Money is on the table. 

[HK85]

19 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Arsenal offered Ox a new contract worth £180k a week that he rejected! 

Chelsea agreed to pay £40m and £160k a week wages which he rejected.

Hes just signed for us for £35m on £120k a week wages. 

What are you talking about?  

Hello again mate. 

AOC was lashed in pretty much every possible position because he couldn't cement a role under Wenger. 

It's like he was the man to fill in for out of form, injured or suspended players. And he got £40 million for him. Excellent from Arsene. 

[LFCMadLad]

6 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Hello again mate. 

AOC was lashed in pretty much every possible position because he couldn't cement a role under Wenger. 

It's like he was the man to fill in for out of form, injured or suspended players. And he got £40 million for him. Excellent from Arsene. 

I'd say he was lashed in every position because he's versatile and that Wenger doesn't know how to use him because he's lost the plot and is behind the times. Don't think I'm the only one coming to that assumption either. 

The last player he knew how to use was Thiery Henry. 

[HK85]

8 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Ok we'll see. I'll have you a £100 bet though that Everton clamber into 7th place, if that? 

You are miles, and I mean miles behind the top 6, even after your spending spree. 

Money is on the table. 

Sounds interesting but I'd like to find out where I said we would get into the top 6 before taking you up on the bet. It might take me some time to find, brb. 

[Lucas]

Everton have had a great window for me. Pickford, Keane, Sigurdsson, Rooney. That is like a new spine of a team right there. Bar Rooney, the other three are young enough to take the team on for the next 5 years and build around. Klaasen, Sandro and the others could either be hit or miss but those four players you can pretty much guarantee will perform well for Everton and push them on.

Also think Burnley have had a brilliant window. They would have been targeted by many to struggle with second season syndrome and especially having lost Gray, Keane and possibly Boyd. But Dyche has been very shrewd, bringing in Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor from ourselves, as well as Nahki Wells, Walters, Jack Cork, Bardsley. There will be people that look at those buys and think nothing of them but they will improve the squad there and especially given their initial start, there's lot's to be positive for them about staying up another season.

Arsenal's poor transfer window is ironic because for years they have wanted a top rated striker to bring in and in the summer they eventually spend and do that, it's when they have one of their worst transfer window's by not improving elsewhere. Apparently, they have been out spent by Huddersfield, which if true is laughable.

Newcastle also have had a poor window for a side that have yo-yo'd in recent times and would have been hoping to kick on. I really expected significant improvement especially with the pull of Benitez there but the board just haven't backed Rafa enough. It has all the signs set there that if they struggle, he'll walk.

 

 

[SirBalon]

50 minutes ago, Aaroncpfc said:

You've stagnated Lacazette's career.

 

44 minutes ago, HK85 said:

Mr Wenger got himself and his club a lot of money for someone who's not really part of the plans in AOC. He's been thrown everywhere in his team, doesn't really have a place. 

Signed Laca, a good goalscorer and that left back who's name I'm not gonna bother to try and spell who has got to be better than Gibbs and Monreal. 

Even kept hold of Alexis.

A lot of heat needs to come off him after this. These Wenger Out people need to really sit down and look at it objectively. 

Oh of course... Didn't look at it that way. Can't wait for the international break to pass by because the inspiration that this  transfer window has brought us here at Arsenal only points to a magnificent campaign.

Thanks for that boys!